Elastic lace fabric



Aug 5, 1958 R. BLOCH 2,845,834

ELASTIC LACE FABRIC Filed Nov. 25. 1953 United States Patent M ELASTIC LACE FABRIC Richard Bloch, Pelham Manor, N. Y., assignor to Liberty Fabrics of New York, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 25, 1953, Serial No. 394,291

3 Claims. (Cl. 87-2) This invention relates to lace fabrics having elastic threads or filaments embodied therein in the course of manufacture of the product. The object of the invention is to produce elastic lace of considerable strength and confining power, highly elastic with its greater degree of elasticity in one direction and a minor degree of elasticity in the other direction, great durability and, incidentally, of attractive appearance. The material is useful in the manufacture of many articles, including articles of womens wear, such as womens panties and the like.

The material can be made on standard Levers lace machines, multiple bar knitting machines and machines known as converted curtain machines, as will be readily understood by those experienced in setting up and operating such machines.

In the drawings:

Fig. l shows the right or face side of a section of elastic lace made according to this invention;

Fig. 2 the reverse side thereof;

Fig. 3 a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 a portion of the fabric of Figs. 1 and 2 in stretched or expanded condition;

Fig. 5 shows the outline elastic threads;

Fig. 6 shows the reverse side of the fabric with the elastic threads tied into the fabric.

The fabric 1 has incorporated on the reverse face a series of substantially parallel elastic threads 2 preferably of the type in which the thread is covered with a spiral winding of cotton or` other material and is widely sold under the brand name Lastex. The number of elastic threads 2 may be determined according to the manufacturers judgment, it being preferred that the said elastic threads number about twenty to the inch and that they be substantially equally spaced and provided with a space between threads having a width slightly greater than the diameter of the threads 2. Such threads 2, in the course of weaving the lace, are tied into the body `of the lace by the filling threads 6 and the usual bobbin threads 4 of Levers and converted curtain machines as they traverse the body of the fabric 1, and as they are twisted together at their places of intersection as shown in Fig. 3, but stand below the back surface of the body of the lace substantially to their entire thickness, in order that such threads should not penetrate the body of the fabric and appear on the right or face side thereof. This arrangement leaves the elastic threads 2 tied in the fabric and free to stretch independently of the elastic threads 5 on the face of the fabric.

The right or face side 3 of the fabric comprises usually an attractive design which is repeated over and over, often taking the configuration of a flower, leaf or an imitation thereof in which the units of the design diverge from a common center, as illustrated, for instance, in Fig. 1 of the drawing. In the course of weaving the fabric, and particularly the separate units making up the design, an elastic thread 5, preferably of the same type, but two or three times heavier than the threads 2, either in elastic or non-elastic yarn, is woven as an outline of 2,845,834 Patented Aug. 5, 1953 2 the units making up the design as illustrated in Fig. 2 and tied on the surface .of the fabric by the bobbin threads 4 as they pass through the fabric and are twisted with the filling threads 6. These elastic threads 5 run at angular relation to the direction of the threads 2,

seldom paralleling them, generally following the contour of the design or pattern and are free to stretch independently of the elastic threads 2 which lie on the reverse side of the fabric. The threads 5 are tied into the lace by the filling threads 6 and the usual bobbin threads as they traverse the fabric and which may be of any known type of filling threads. The elastic threads 5, while they stand out from the plane of the body of the lace and outline the design are more prominent than the threads 2 which are on the reverse side of the lace and, inasmuch as the filling threads 6 which run from one elastic thread to the other elastic thread of each unit making up the iiower design are in a slightly lower plane than the plane of the threads 5, the design is given the appearance of depth which is desirable and attractive.

The fabric is illustrated in stretched condition in Fig. 4 showing the leaf design somewhat distorted but nevertheless complete. When the fabric is so stretched, all the elastic threads 2, on the reverse side of the fabric, stretch in the same direction and permit a considerable elongation of the fabric in the direction of the run of the threads 2. Although the threads 5 on the face of the fabric are elastic, they do not have as much stretch, in a direction at right angles to the run of the threads 2, as the threads 2, being confined from extensive stretch by the filling threads which lie between the elastic threads making up each unit of the design. The elastic threads 5 do, however, when the fabric is stretched in the direction in which the threads 2 run, permit the fabric to be stretchd practically without limit, excepting as restricted by the stretch of the threads 2. When the fabric is relaxed the elastic threads 5 contract and tend to return the units making up the design to their normal configuration. The elastic threads 5 further contribute strength, durability, conning power, and high elasticity in cooperation with the threads 2. The threads 5, as has been stated heretofore, also give an outline to each of the units making up the design adding to the attractiveness thereof and giving the design the impression of depth.

The gauge of the machine is a factor in determining the number of elastic threads incorporated in the fabric. The best practice would be to allow one elastic thread to each carriage on the levers and converted curtain machines and one to each needle on the multiple bar knitting machines. The example of a 2() thread operation is based on a l0 point Levers machine.

I claim:

1. A lace fabric, a figured design therein repeated throughout the fabric during formation thereof, said design being made up of units lying in divergent directions throughout the fabric, said fabric being characterized by elastic threads incorporated therein in large numbers, many of said elactic threads running substantially in the same direction and in the direction of the major stretch of the fabric, said threads being most prominent on the reverse side of the fabric, a multiplicity of said units being outlined by elastic threads embodied in said fabric during formation thereof, which threads are raised with respect to the portions of the units so outlined, the last mentioned threads being most prominent on the face of the fabric and substantial portions of said last mentioned threads being angularly disposed to the direction of the threads on the reverse side of the fabric.

2. An elastic lace fabric having a major stretch in one direction and some stretch in directions angularly thereto, said fabric being provided with a design, said fabric com- 3 '4` lpsn'g 'at 'last lone siiiuous, multi-directional elastic Rferences Cited in the le of this patent thread locked into the front Yface of lthe-fabric-aud-fol lowing the outlines or contours of the design, and a UNITED STATES PATENTS plurality of substantially parallel elastic threads on the 2,141,409 Sauer Dec. 27, 1938 evs s`rac5-xtendn`g i'n the difctldfftlevaio'r 5 2,188,640 Bloch et al. Ian. 30, 1940 

